This invention pertains to a frozen drink product and method for packaging and producing same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a frozen drink product of a variety of flavors packaged in a squeezable pouch which a consumer may drink immediately after removal from a freezer.
During the last few decades, consumer eating patterns have changed dramatically. These changes are due in large part to the longer working hours experienced by many people and changes in family structures. Convenience has become a major factor in food purchase decisions. Consumers typically seek foods that not only taste good, but that require minimal preparation time, are conveniently packaged, and/or are portable.
Frozen slushy drink products are popular with children and adults alike. Children tend to favor frozen slushy drink products flavored with various flavors of juices or sodas, while frozen slushy drink products flavored with coffee or alcoholic beverages are increasingly popular with adults. These frozen slushy drink products are commonly prepared on a continuous basis with expensive machines used to constantly agitate the beverage during freezing. It is generally impractical to prepare such compositions in the home because of the specialized equipment required. While attempts to create these types of frozen slushy drink products pre-packaged for the home freezer have been made, generally the consistency, taste and overall product quality of these products does not measure up to similarly flavored slushy products made by specialized machinery.
Accordingly, there is a need for a convenient frozen slushy drink product which may be stored in the home freezer and that retains a desirable consistency and product quality when stored in the freezer. Such a product, which could be immediately consumed from the package after squeezing the package manually, would enable consumers to enjoy high quality slushy drink products in their own homes.
The present invention provides a frozen slushy drink product in a squeezable pouch immediately consumable by the consumer after removal from a home freezer and manual manipulation of the package in order to break up ice crystals in the product. This product may be of a variety of flavors, including but not limited to, fruit juice, coffee, cola, or a variety of flavors related to alcoholic beverages. The composition of the present invention has a number of ingredients, including a calcium component and a stabilizer component, that in combination cause a desirable thickening of the drink product upon pasteurization at a temperature of over about 180xc2x0 F. The method of preparing the drink product causes relatively short ice crystals to form as the product freezes. Consequently, the frozen drink product is easily broken up upon manual manipulation of the squeezable pouch after removal of the product from the freezer. The squeezable pouch is portable and may be disposed of after consumption of the product.
The present invention offers many advantages over known frozen slushy drink products of a similar high quality. For example, the present invention is packaged and frozen in a portable squeezable pouch and does not require constant agitation while freezing. Also, the present invention attains a better slushy consistency than other frozen drink products that may be stored in a home freezer and immediately consumed. Further, children of all ages will enjoy the process of preparing the product for consumption by simply squeezing the pouch containing the product with their hands.